“I figure.” Rafe turned and moved toward the entrance. “You’ll be around?”
Simon kept pace. “Where else.”
“We might go to Split.”
Simon’s smile flashed. “Excellent.” He had a girlfriend there.
“No set itinerary yet. So it’s not for public consumption.”
“Understood.” Simon lengthened his stride, reached the door first, and opened it.
As Rafe walked through, he glanced back over his shoulder. “I’ll check in with you tomorrow.”
Simon gave him a quick finger gun salute, mouthed the word enjoy, dropped the backpack on the marble floor, and softly shut the door.
“Goddamn bloody tyrant,” Nicole grumbled the second they were alone. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to say, ‘Put me down’ now.”
Rafe dropped a light kiss on her forehead and strode toward a curved stone staircase carpeted in a faded red-and-blue flame pattern. “Nope.”
“So you’re calling all the shots?”
He gave her a quick grin. “Only until you’re not having fun.”
“Maybe I’m not having fun.”
“Give me a couple seconds. We just have to get upstairs.” And he took the remaining stairs two at a time with lithe, athletic ease.
Nicole bashed him on the shoulder as they reached the top of the stairs. “Goddamn, Contini, all that flash and dazzle muscle and strength is a major turn-on.” She grinned. “I might have just come. Wanna do it again?”
He gave her an impatient glance. “Fuck no.” He didn’t alter his swift stride down the wide hallway. “And FYI, baby, just watching you breathe is a turn-on for me. In fact, I’m not equipped to deal with this crazy, out-of-control need. I’m not sure how to play it.”
“Just so long as I come in the next few minutes, play it any way you want. I won’t complain.”
“But then you’re not giving the orders, are you?” he murmured, nudging a door open with his foot, entering a large bedroom with an incredible view of the sparkling Mediterranean, and heeling the door shut.
“Ohmygod! I have to go see that! Put me down this second or—”
His grip tightened. “Or?” A soft hint of warning in the word.
She patted his cheek. “Save the Neanderthal shit, okay? I just want to stand on your balcony and drink in that fantastic scene. Come on, Mr. You’re-in-Charge. I’ll be ever so good. Just put me down.”
He grinned. “You good? That I gotta see.” Setting her on her feet, he gently prodded her ass. “Go. I’ve seen it before.”
Quickly discarding her shirt and dropping it as she ran, a moment later she stood on the wide balcony, her arms raised to the sky, like some acolyte to an ancient sun god.
Motionless, Rafe took in the beauty of her celebratory pose, the supple grace of her body, the beguiling vision of exultation. He couldn’t help but smile. She was the human equivalent of delight, completely open and natural, frank about what she wanted. And she wanted him—not a rarity in his world—but rare in the pleasure it afforded him.
He actually wanted to make her happy, like she did him. It was the most exhilarating feeling he’d ever had, quickly followed by more predictable alarm bells reminding him not to be gullible, delusional, or both. Furiously warning him that this might be an immense error.
He almost turned and walked out.
But Nicole suddenly swung around and held out her hand. “Come.” She wiggled her fingers. “I think I can see Algiers from here. Tell me if it’s true.”
He hesitated. She’d messed with his head from the first. And here in his bedroom—where he always slept alone—he was suddenly feeling unmoored.
“Did I do something wrong?” Her brow furrowed and her voice turned soft with concern. “Of course I did,” she said with a small sigh. “I tend to bowl people over with my”—a sweet smile lit up her face—“assertiveness.” Another little sigh. “And you’re only familiar with women who say yes, yes, yes, and yes. I could probably do that—for a little while anyway. Is that what you want?”
“I’m not sure what I want.” The fact that he answered honestly only unnerved him further. Sex and honesty were mutually exclusive in his world.
“Please don’t tell me to leave. I really don’t want to.” She blew out a breath and began walking toward him. “I probably don’t know much more than you do about whatever is between us, but I do know that I’d like to stay—at least for a time.”
Her smile was so artlessly seductive, he said brusquely, “Don’t smile,” and took a step back.